President-elect Donald Trump has selected South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as his next secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, according to two people familiar with the selection.

President-elect Donald Trump said Tuesday he has chosen South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem to lead the Department of Homeland Security, elevating a loyalist who was once considered a possible running mate to flesh out the team that will oversee his immigration agenda.

The president-elect has reportedly selected South Dakota's governor to oversee the agency responsible for border protection and immigration.

Kristi L. Noem was about to seize the spotlight, and she wanted to make the most of it. In June 2021, the South Dakota Republican was preparing to announce that her state would be the first to send National Guard troops to the U.

Having served as South Dakota governor since 2019, Kristi Noem is a loyal Trump ally and would help oversee his immigration crackdown in a second term. She was also in consideration for Trump’s running mate before early excerpts of her book revealed she killed her hunting dog 20 years ago.

Kristi Noem underwent a cosmetic procedure after suffering a horrific accident. Discover why the work she had done caused controversy and led to a lawsuit.